The World to Start Again
by ShirobaratheFirst
Summary: Gorillaz are back at it again, with a new album and new house to start up their musical world again. Of course, that doesn't mean trouble isn"t far ahead. Whether its in their daily domestic lives, or behind the recording studio. (Set in phase 4, rating is mostly T)
1. Chapter 1 Fixer Upper

**I had mentioned doing a Gorillaz fanfic series, so here I am carrying out that promise. Although on the expense that I have not updated** ** _Halcyon Days in Arkham_** **in like forever. Forgive me for that. Hopefully, with this newfound inspiration I may or may not continue it. Hehehe sorry.**

 **This series is in fact inspired by vinnie2757 and his story Gorillaz Snapshots. Give that a read if this one doesn't suit you.**

 **Be warned, though, some of my writing style is influenced by him, and I hope no one thinks its a form of plagiarism or something like that. This story will be kept in complete essence of my mind and only from my mind.**

 **The timeline I will be writing in is of course in the current album, Phase 4 since I noticed not much write in that timeline. So, a challenge hehehe.**

 **Lastly, I own none of the characters. All of them belong to Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. Geniuses, really.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Fixer Upper: Because some things can be forgiven, but never forgotten.**

It's late in the night, the band is fast asleep and the house is what you would expect in any results of Murdoc Niccals stepping up and doing something on his own because anyone otherwise would be far too incompetent.

He'd argued though, that the only reason he did it himself was because the production team behind their comeback album was on a tight budget. Arguments about the music video for their latest single and talks about a future TV series had the Satanist in full cuss storms, protesting that he be given at least a sum to repair the Spirit House where they will now be staying.

 _"Well fuck that shit!" He had growled, throwing a few punches here and there that landed on a few unfortunate souls while guards (although their's) tried to restrain him. "I'd rather be thrown back at Wobble Street if ye' gonna make us stay in a house we can"t even afford to rennovate!"_

 _"Wobble Street made no difference, man." Russle calmly chided in, leaning ever-so-tiredly on his his chair, mostly because of Murdoc. "Not to mention all of our shit getting thrown around the place for some reason."_

 _The band has never had reputation for picking up after themselves, clean-wise. Every place they'd ever been always ended up in disastrous messes one way or the other. The fact that the drummer brought it up, makes Murdoc laugh and by extension, sober enough to stop raving around._

 _"Funny you mentioning that, lards. Ain't ever seen you clean nothing-" Russel eye-balling him in that far too familiar cuts Murdoc off._

 _Him and his band had only been reunited for at least a couple weeks. And although Russel had gone back to his normal size, it didn't change the fact that his arms were still as thick as Murdoc's ego. So he forgets that last thought and comes up with another, saying he'll do the repairs on the house himself._

And so he did. Which brings us to 2D exiting his (would be room if Murdoc ever finishes plastering the drywall and fixing the floarboards) room and wobbling his way down the stairs. They keep the light on at this part of the house. Mainly because when they switched up the fusebox, they had no idea where the switch of the light was located and hadn't bothered to looking for it until Murdoc finished his handiwork.

So it's been on ever since. It helps now, as 2D navigates his feet on the steps, easily avoiding wood chips, soda cans and beer caps despite his sleep haze.

His first instinct as he reaches the bottom, is to head for the kitchen and snack on the first thing he sees. Russel had managed to clean out the fridge and get all of that bad food, rotten cake, and singing pizza out. But a sound alerts him. Sounds really, a grunt and an exhale and then another grunt and some muttering.

He thinks its Murdoc, because if it's not him, then it's always Murdoc. But that didn"t seem likely as Murdoc hadn't been able to 'socialize' ever since starting his repair project on the house. And Russel, for a fact, has been avoiding suchg things for the simple reason that he still wasn't used to being norm-sized.

So 2D follows the sound, brings him to the living room and finds Noodle.

He's thankful because she wasn't doing what he thought Murdoc and Russle (and himself) would be doing in association to the sounds he hears. It doesn't fail to make him blush in embarrassment now, guilt-stricken that he would even think of their guitarist performing such acts that would usually be expected of a certain green-skinned, bassist. Though, being preoccupied as she was prevented Noodle from seeing the older man altogether.

She was facing her punching bag, knees bent, stance low, and fists flying faster than 2D's eyes could follow. Her side is to him, and given the time he's known her-which is a long time-she would've seen him come in without turning her head.

As she lands several more blows on the bag, it is then that 2D notices two bottles of Scotch on the small coffee table on the side. And if the redness of her cheeks and ears and somewhat stumbly footing were anything to go by, 2D can only assume that both bottles were emptied. By her.

"Hello there, luv."

She doesn't hear him, and with that voice, he didn"t expect her to either. So with a slight cough, and a little more volume this time, he tries again. "You seem to be up prettt late, Noods. Wat'cha doin there?"

Her punches halt to a stop and she shifts her torso so she was looking at him, but stil facing the bag. Her eyes are closed to slits, just like they used to during her kid years. When she realizes who"s there, a goofy grin fills her face and her thick accent escapes into the room.

"Toochie-kun!" It's pitchy and hoarse at the same time that 2D cringes a little, but he stills himself when he sees just how red her face is now that she's looking at him. "I didn't-uh... See you..der... Why uhmm... Why're you up?"

He watches as she draws one lazy hand toward the bag in a strength-less punch, and her upper body leans against it as if to balance herself. "Are you aw'right, Noods? You seem er.." He picks on his nails, uncomfortable with the word 'drunk' and Noodle together. "You seem out of sorts... Is summfink wrong?"

She grins again and pushes herself off the bag. "I'm fine, Toochie.. Noodaru is fine... See I'm throwing my punches..." As if to prove that, she hits the bag with one hard fist. Then she brings out the other, keeping the bag swaying. "See? I'm fine. I fight hard, eh. Like I did when those helicopters came around."

2D blinks. A car honks outside in the distance, the house groans, and a wooden board creaks somewhere. Then it registers to him that she is in fact, referring to her flying windmill. Feel Good Inc. And that terrible thing that happened in between.

"Why're ye thinking about that now, luv? I thought we was okay about that now."

It doesn't occur to 2D that Noodle has no faith in those words. Despite being drunk, she still understands that their good-natured singer doesn't fully grasp the meaning in her words, and could therefore, only do the same with his.

Still, even as she tries to let it slide, her intoxicated state disagrees and lets her mind speak out again.

"Haha! Yeah it was okay!" She laughs and punches the bag again. "Like it was okay when those bullets came raining down on me while i floated away from you and the others. Like it was okay when I disappeared and everyone thought I died so Murdoc replaced me with a homicidal robot! Like it was okay when all that shit happened _because_ of Murdoc, and i thought I would never see any of you again!"

The speed and slurs in which she spoke made it nearly impossible for 2D to understand, not even half of what she said. He could make out bullets, died, robot, shit and Murdoc here and there. And he easily understands what she's trying to say.

And when she understands it too, her punches weaken along with her balance. She slips on her feet and she forces herself to hang on to the punching bag to keep her upright. But even as she does this, her legs sink to the floor and in instant, she bursts out crying.

Immediately, 2D is by her side by the time she's on the floor.

"Aw, luv it's aw'right. It"s aw'right." He croons, taking both of her bandaged hands in his and placing a comforting hand behind her.

"It's not all right, Toochie. It's not." She says with a despondent shake of her head.

"Eyy, of course it is." 2D brushes a finger across her disheveled bangs as he leans h

is forehead to her. "Yer just a lil' tipsy from the Scotch, yeah? It's just that alcohol talking, you know? Like with Murdoc when he gets drunk."

She sniffles and it tears him up inside. Noodle's was a face he never wanted to see crying. And even though she was a grown woman now, he knows better than anyone that the girl in front of him was still that adorable, little Asian kid that popped out of that Fedex box so many years ago.

"Murdoc." Noodle grumbles in distaste. "It was his fault."

2D nods. That was something all of them could agree on, even Murdoc himself. "Yeah. Most of the time, it is, isn't it? It's in his nature I guess. Murdoc is just Murdoc."

Noodle giggles sweetly. But more tears spill out of her eyes, and she stubbornly protests on. "Everyone almost died. I almost died, Russ-kun almost died, and even you-I thought that whale had eaten you."

He pats her back as he says, "Naw.. If anything I ate the whale. Hahah!"

His attempt at a joke fails to make her laugh again, so instead, he pulls her into a hug. He immediately senses her discomfort. After all, she was a twenty-something woman now. It was obvious-among other things-that she would be reluctant in accepting such open gestures of compassion from her bandmates like they used to when she was a child.

But this was 2D. The man who could never hate, and you could never hate. The only man she knew that still loved Murdoc (because Russel's ship had sailed that dock) despite all the fuck-ups he'd done in the past, present, and most likely future. The only man who would always see her in that small, monkey tricycle and helmet.

2D leans back against the covered sofa, letting Noodle lie on his lap and half his stomach. Her tears were far from over, so 2D strokes her hair and hums a few disconnected notes. As much as what she's said, she doesn't want to talk. He knows. Talking would just make her cry more, and he doesn't want that. So he lets the silence take over for a while.

For a while, 2D sits there, comforting the crying girl. A long moment passes, and he figures she's gone to sleep. But when he makes a movement to pick her up, she grabs his hand. Her crying had stopped. "Toochie."

He sits back again. "Yeah, what is it, luv?"

"Do you ever regret anything? With us? With what happened? With Murdoc?"

2D hums at the idea. "No, course not."

His answer was quick, almost thoughtess and it catches her off guard. "Not even the bad parts?""

"The bad parts were a pain the arse of course. But we're Gorillaz. Things always work out on their own, you know? No matter how bad things get screwed up, something always manages to fix it right."

Noodle sighs and digs her fingers into the hem of 2D's pajamas. "I wish i had your brain."

Now 2D laughs, and he pets Noodle's hair like it belonged to the world's cutest Corgi. Noodle was more than that though. "Ye can't wish for that, luv. If we both had the same brain, then ye wouldn't be our Noodle. And we can"t be Gorillaz without our Noodle."

She looks up at him through her tear-stained eyes. "You had Cyborg Noodle and you were still Gorillaz."

For a moment, he thought she was gonna cry again. But what he said next halted all of her tears. "Cy would never have your brains even if she tried."

She beams up at him then, a real smile. He smiles back down at her too, toothless and all, before giving her a kiss on the temple.

"It'll be aw'right now, Noods." 2D coaxes, eyes getting heavy as he leaned his head back. "Everything's gonna be aw'right now."

"How can you be so sure?" She asks, sleep dawning on her as well.

"Because..." 2D's eyes half-close and if he was seeing right, he swore he could see that damned pizza through the doorway, winking at him.

"It"s what we've done all our lives." And the two bandmates drift off together.

* * *

 **The 3 hours that took me was absolutely worth it! Whoo! I didn't think the first chapter wouls go so well. Hahahha!**

 **Like I said, this entire series will revolve around Phase 4, beacuse I think it's cool to look into how the band would be interacting with one another now after everything that happened since Plastic Beach. Though, I guess from time to time there will be flashbacks and mentions from other phases. Like this one here.**

 **Seriously, though the guys have some stuff they need to talk about. That way no oned goes on outbursts when they get intoxicated. LOVE YA NOODLE!.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed!**


	2. Chapter 2 Man at Work

**I was literally not expecting 14 reads and a review in the first chapter after 11 hours posting it. Thank you so much kind person!**

 **I can't be sure whether the chapters will be in a chronological order or just connected in some way. Until I figure out which is more fun to read, ya'll get what you get hehheehehehe.**

 **Again, Gorillaz does not belong to me. It belongs to Albarn and Hewlett the amazings. With that, moving on!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2. Man At Work: DIY never felt this hard. Not at 50+ at least.**

Murdoc is awakened by a loud crash and something that sounds a lot like Russel's stomach-rumbling voice echoing through the house in an unothodox morning greeting.

He tries to bury himself deeper into the bed, unwilling to deal with whatever crap there was to deal with so early in the day. But Russel's voice lessens none, and when he notices that the tiny clock he'd set on the corner actually read fifteen past 12, he grumbles the whole way out of his bed.

It's no bed, because no one would call a bunch of stacked blankets a bed. Unless if you were homeless or couldn't be bothered to set up the mattress. Since he was only half of that (the other half being unable to focus on the band's personal comfort and necessities due to all the housework needed to be done) the ache on his back has extra sting and makes him automatically don a nasty scowl.

Another crash and he's up on his feet and striding through the door.

"What in Satan's name is going on down there?!"

The house practically shakes from his voice, and he assumes it was likely to bring down more of its foundations if he was planning on raising his voice any higher. Whatever he sees downstairs will determine that, he decides.

Of course what he finds once he gets there pretty much settles his voice higher than the house can endure as his bandmates can stomach

"The fuck are you three doing?!"

The sight that meets him is that of Russel and Noodle standing over a rather disgruntled 2D. It doesn't look like much from where he stands, so he walks over to them closer and swears again when he realizes the _reason_ for the commotion.

2D was in fact, stuck in a hole on the floor. Most likely caused by him. Noodle, with her legs and arms outstretched as she held onto the singer's arms, was trying to pull him out of the hole. Russel on the other hand, was just standing at the side, scratching his head and watching Noodle fail and fail again because 2D kept whining about hurting everytime he moved.

Murdoc groans at the entire sight. "As if I don't have enough problems to deal with in this shitty house. You had to make a hole right in the middle of the floor?!"

Although he's on his full rage mode (minus the physical outbursts), 2D seemed more worried about the sharp edges where the floorboards sticked around his torso.

"It's not me fault, Murdoc! The hole was already here and I didn't even see it!" The bluenette said in defense.

"Like I'm supposed to believe that shit." The bassist remarked.

"Believe it, dumbass. 'Coz this was the hole _you_ made the other day."

Murdoc was just about ready to waste a good 5 minutes trying to defend his case and pin it all on 2D. Unfortunately for him, Russel had more 'authentic' evidence, and pointed it out before Murdoc could open his trap again.

"Yeah, you made it all right. You came home drunk the other day, stomping your way towards the stairs and smashed your foot right through the floor." The drummer picked up something from the floor. It was the makeshift caution tape Murdoc had made to 'seal off' the broken areas of the house. "You put this across the walls and just covered the hole with the carpet. I kept telling you to fix it, but when have you ever listened to me?"

Seeing the tape alone already has him remembering said incident. That it was in fact him that made the hole. It's not like he had forgotton about it. With all the damages around the house, it was hard to keep track of everything. And its not like he's begun the repairs already. But then again, he can't just say all _**that**_ after Russel had singled him out. Murdoc was never one to back down from an argument after all. Even if he was the one at fault

"Well, why the hell didn't you see the tape?" He goes then, trying to brush off Russel's statement as much as possible.

"It's not like anyone can see it when you keep knocking it down." Noodle retorts, as she gives 2D's arm another tug.

Well, shit. If Noodle herself was going to single him out too, then Murdoc may as well drop the whole conversation already.

"If you're done blaming this on everyone, would you mind helping us getting D' outta this hole?" Russel suggests, kneeling down and wrapping his big arms around the smaller man's midsection. "Okay baby girl, you pull him out, and I'mma try to twist his body out from the floor."

Noodle nods and does as told. With Russel's aid, it hurts 2D less. But he stil showed no signs of getting out any time soon.

With a huff, Russel loosens his grip. "Ain't ya' supposed to be skinny D'? Like, the hell? It's like your body is perfectly wedged into the wood."

The term 'skinny' doesn't offend 2D at all. The fact that Russel even brought it up actually enlightens him with the thought as well. "Ye think I gained weight, Russ?" He asks, forgetting his predicament at the moment.

The three ramble on, and as Murdoc stands there, his patience had been all but spent. "Ah for the love of-!"

Without warning, Murdoc raises his foot and slams it right through the floorboard. It's an amazing feat, especially when considering the fact that Murdoc had only been up for the better of 10 minutes, and boot-less. But the wood breaks apart like dried wheat and there's now enough space for 2D to wiggle out of.

If the floor was as brittle as that, one would think it would"ve collapsed already. What with all four of them (especially cough*cough*Russ*cough*cough) there.

"Right, the lot of ye', out!" Murdoc proceeds.

Russel grunts, shrugs it off, and Noodle is too busy checking 2D for wounds and berating Murdoc for his methods to hear what he's saying.

"I said get out!" Murdoc tries again, and this time the trio faces him.

"Pardon?" Russel voices out.

"Ye heard me, lards. Out, the lot of ye. Been getting shit on fixing the house and not fixing the house. Well, I ain't gonna get any fucking work done if you three are gonna be here!"

Russel is calm and still has that same dead-eyed look that always told Murdoc to think twice before doing or saying anything. The younger members of the band though, look exactly like children he'd just ordered to leave the house.

Having too much to deal with already, Murdoc steps forward and begins pushing 2D and Noodle across the hall. It was unexpected for all of them that neither Noodle nor Russel tried intervening. There were some whining though, courtesy of 2D.

"I don't want te hear it! Get out, drive around, shop er whatever!"

"But we don't have any money!" The bluenette offered.

"Noodle has some from all that yakuza-slaying shite. Leave it to her." Murdoc remarked.

And the two were slammed out the door before Noodle could even make a stand for it.

With a long sigh, Murdoc drags himself back up the stairs to change, hearing Russel call out protests to his actions the entire way.

Russel is in the living room sipping coffee when Murdoc returns. The man is now in a pair of faded jeans, a white, long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and of course, his infamous Cuban heels.

"Ya sure you wanna work wearing those?" The drummer aks, only because he isn't keen on hearing the Satanist complain about it afterwards.

"Didn't I ask ye to get yer lard arse out of the house?" Murdoc returns, rummaging through the boxes scattered around the room, finding tools and the like in the most unusual piles.

"Please, this house will fall apart if I leave you doing God-knows-what."

"I'd have to break both me arms before I _actually_ ask for your help."

That wasn't his point, but Russel doesn"t bother. Sooner or later the man would be crying for assistance. That is to say he didn't break the house before his body first.

Once he'd gotten everything he needed, Murdoc then proceeds to the kitchen. They had pre-ordered new floorboards, wall plaster, paint and all the DIY brick-a-brack a week before. It wasn't exactly wise a decision to have stored them all there, but Murdoc had argued that the kitchen was the only safe place to put it. Russel of course, thought otherwise. And that lead to an argument, as it always does with everything.

Eventually, the house is filled with pounding, clattering and a pandemonium of noise. For a moment Russel contemplates whether the bassist was really doing the repairs like he said he would, or just hitting on the next bit of broken garbage.

Finished with his coffee, Russel momentarily goes to the kitchen to dump his mug. He finds that a considerable amount of wood and plaster has already been put to use. It was 1:17 PM then

But when the noise increases by the hour, the drummer forces himself out of the couch and locates where the sound was.

He checks his watch as he goes, finds that it had been 3 hours since Murdoc started working. He comes upon the hall they'd all been 'stuck" in earlier. Much to his surprise the hole was already patched up. Nicely done, to boot.

"Mudz..." Russel called, sweeping through the first floor but unable to find the bassist.

Then a crash comes from upstairs and a loud echo of _"Dammit!"_ has Russel speeding up the stairs.

What he finds almost makes him laugh, but for the good of the poor old sod, he holds it in.

"Karma's a bitch, ain't it?" He snorts, walking over to Murdoc whose one foot had went through another weak spot of wood and was now balancing himself between the wall and the large piece of drywall in his hands.

"Just shut yer trap and get me damed foot off. Me back is killing me." Complained the older man.

The danger of his position isn't what propels Russel to move right away. It was the physical state the man was in. He'd never seen Murdoc sweat like this before. Sweat and actually be exhausted to produce such fluids in thick trickles. His hair was all over the place, and his shirt was already filthy and soaked through.

"Never knew you were a secretor, Mudz." Russel sneered. Because Murdoc was asking for help, so he may as well say his best 'I told you so' in all forms possible while he can.

"Piss off." Murdof responds, albeit tiredly once his foot is free.

But even then, he is unable to follow it up with a better insult. Choosing instead to lean on the wall and breathe for a minute.

"You're pretty winded." Russel points out, becoming genuinely concerned now.

"Like you're one to talk, being so diabetic and all." Murdoc tries to laugh and wheezes instead.

Last time Russel had a medical exam, he was more on the gigantic side rather than diabetic. But he let's that slide too. Letting Murdoc catch his breath, Russel gets a good look of the second floor, and he is impressed that the Satanist had a lot of work done.

Several wall cavities were finally covered up. The thin-looking walkways were now nailed with extra boards. And a door had now been installed at Noodle's room, where he can see through the opening, had more work done compared to the rest of the house.

"You did Noods' room first." He concluded.

Wiping his face off with an arm, Murdoc finally straightens up. But not without a hand to his back. "So what? It was a damned eyesore. And she's been complaining about dressing without a door. Can't afford the press coming up with ideas about shit that ain't real."

What an excuse, Russel thinks. But surprisingly, he just let's it go too. Especially after what Murdoc says next.

"She was crying again last night."

Russel's face grows solemn. "Yeah, I heard that too. I think she found that beer stash of yours."

Murdoc takes a moment trying not to get pissed off about his beer being touched by someone else, and that someone else being Noodle. With a sigh, he calms himself down, and like Russel, let's it go. (For now).

It's difficult for either of them to say anything else in regards to the sudden topic. Even after their reunion, they've barely had time to talk about everything that happened. It's an unsaid agreement that they all still have their own grudges about 'certain things.'

"I'm doing my fucking best." Murdoc blurts all the sudden.

It's far too unexpected for him to say such a thing, drunk or not (and by the smell, it didn't seem like he was at the moment.) By the look on his face, it was clear that he was trying to make it look like he was referring to the repairs on the house. But after nearly 2 decades of putting up with his shit, it's easier to read between the lines now. Especially when they're getting thin and faded.

 _I'm trying to fix all the shit I've done._

Grabbing the drywall from his hands, Russel stomps to the room Murdoc had been working on. "Sit down or take a nap before that back breaks, crack'uh ass."

Throughout the entire ordeal of a day, Murdoc finally wears that signature grin with the matching snake tongue. "That's getting way too old, Russ."

Smirking, Russel swings the door to a close behind him. "Until it's older than you, I'm gonna use it as much as I fucking want.

The door closed just in time before he could even see the finger Murdoc pointed his way.

* * *

Later that night, around 7, the door opened to a rather dolled up Noodle and suave-dressed 2D. The duo strode inside, barely noticing the fresh repairs and patched up hole.

"Whoa. It looks like Mudz really went all out." 2D said, completely awestruck.

Ignoring the repairs for now, Noodle handed her paperbags to the singer. "Could you put these in the kitchen, Toochie-kun."

Immediately obeying (since the girl had practically treated him with her saved money), 2D saunters over to the kitchen.

Once 2D is gone, Murdoc is quick to appear on the stairs.

"Your back." He says, taking a swig from the bottle he's holding.

Noodle draws up her sunglasses. "It looks like you fixed some stuff up." She said, nodding to herself. "Pretty good."

Murdoc shrugs. "I did my best."

Scoffing, Noodle only says, "Well, you still have a long way to go."

"I've all the time in the world, girlie." He replied.

And as if it just _had_ to happen, a crash came from the kitchen along with 2D's high-pitched yammering.

Murdoc could only laugh.

* * *

 **Yeah yeah! This took me a whole day due to unstable network connection, but I am absolutely satisfied with it.**

 **Surely if you can do it yourself, why bother with spending money on the repair man. M pretty sure Murdoc thinks the same.**

 **If 2D had eaten all that whale blubber, you'd think he'd gained some weight, right?**

 **Hope you all enjoyed!**


	3. Chapter 3 Purple Men

**101 views already. It makes me sooooo happy! Thank you all for your continued support to this story.**

 **I saw a review about someone pointing out how I should fix the characters' accents. I admit that I'm not British (I'm Filipina hehehe), and I am only writing their accents in the same way I've read in other fanfics. And I'm also trying not to do that too much because others don"t find it good to read. But I will keep doing my best ^_^**

 **Again, I do not own Gorillaz. They belong to Jamie and Damon. Anywaysssss, let's get a move on!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3. Purple Men: Apps won't make themselves after all.**

"I cannot believe we are doing this!"

Whine as he may, the rest of the band were all silent for the most part of the drive. Murdoc could complain all he want, but it still wasn't stopping him from digging his foot into the brake.

"Can you believe they're making us do this just to do a trial test on this-" Murdoc takes a right, and the abruptness of the feat from the straight road they were driving in, earns hin several conplaints and threats from others. "This app shite, or whatever the hell it's called."

"App is right." 2D offers by his side.

"I wasn't askin' ye, Dents." Murdoc grumbles, side-eyeing him. "And stop fiddling with that hat if ye ain't gonna wear it!"

"But Noods bought it for me." The singer defends. He puts the hat on top of his head, covering most of his hair. He smooths the rim with his index and thumb and flashes a grin to Noodle via the rearview mirror. "It's pretty nice, eh?"

Noodle chuckles and flashes him a thumbs-up. "Very chic, Toochie-kun!"

"I'll throw you both out into the street if ye don't shut yer traps." The bassist warned.

"And I'mma give ya' a beating if ya' do that." Russel returned. "And if you complain about this thing we're doing one more time, I'm gonna smack your head until it rolls up in that damned streering wheel."

"Un'fucking'believable. So you're just gonna let those goons tell us what to do and have us drive around the city with all this purple shit?!" Murdoc growled.

By goons, Murdoc is referring to the people at Telekom Electronic Beats. Partnering up with them wasn't exactly an idea he had initially thought of prior to the band's return. But they'd said it would be a good marketing strategy. Plus it was a good way to re-introduce the band to the current era. But really, all this trouble for an app?!

"It's magenta." Noodle corrects.

"That's not the poi-Satan, whose idea was this anyway?!"

And to this the trio all chorus: _**"YOURS!"**_

Deciding that he'd heard enough, Murdoc finally foots the breaks and jolts them to a stop behind a well-hidden alley.

"All right, everyone out of the car!" He shouts, putting the car in park and shutting off the engine. "May as well get this done and over with." Grabbing his ski mask from the dashboard, he practically kicks the car door open to join his bandmates in the cool night air.

2D is peering from the corner of the alley while the other three re-check the equipment they'd brought.

"So we have 10 gallons of spray paint-including the regular cans Dee bought the last minute, about a hundred of these old vinyl discs, several packets of hair dye, and a dozen of paint cans." Russel reports, automatically taking out one of the larger spray cylinders and a spray hose to connect later.

"Looks like we came just in time, too." 2D calls out as he approaches them. "Ain't much people out. We can go ninja style!"

And as if to cement this idea, the singer fishes out a long, black handkerchief from his jeans pocket. He quickly ties it around his face, expertly covering his nose and mouth. Perfectly clad in black (save for his hair), 2D is then far too engrossed in throwing half-assed karate chops.

He nearly elbows Murdoc in the head, had Noodle not caught his arm. "Don't want to forget your hat, Toochie-kun." She smirks, handing him the said clothing.

"Thanks, luv." Placing it atop his head, he returns to the task at hand. He then goes back over to their car and collecting as much spray cans he could carry.

"Right." Murdoc starts, fixing his ski mask so it would be easier to cover up later. "Let's split up in two's.. Noodl-"

"I'm going with Russ-kun." Noodle immediately says. She draws her hoodie up and stands at Russel's side, leaving Murdoc no room to argue.

"Guess you're with Dee, Muds." Russel points out. As if it hadn't already been made obvious

Murdoc could only grumble unsaid profanities behind his closed mouth. Opting instead to let it out later, he grabs half of the vinyl discs and tucks it under his arm. The other half, he grabs and throws to 2D.

"Whoa geez! Don't break 'em, Mudz! They're a dying piece of art." 2D whines, hugging the discs to his chest.

"We made them out of plastic." The bassist deadpans.

Noodle, now armed with a spray cylinder and hose of her own, shuts the car and trots off with only a _'see you old men later'_ to Murdoc and 2D.

The grin that spreads across Russel's face pisses Murdoc off more than the half-hearted insult. But he doesn't have the heart to throw a retort back to their guitarist with her presence unaccounted for. Not to mention the pounding he'd get from Russel if he tries.

"Get yer pert-old arse moving, Dents! We ain't got all night!" Growls the bassist as he sends a small kick to the singer's ankles.

However, as 2D hovers where he stands, hugging a stack of vinyls in one arm and spray cans in the other, all he can say to Russel is: "Me arse is pert _and_ old, Russ?"

The drummer had never ran a hand so hard across his face before. This was gonna be a long night.

* * *

After running on full speed across the street, 2D finally manages to catch up with Murdoc. On closer inspection, it seemed that the bassist was in a bad mood. But it didn't stop the younger male from feeling giddy about their incursion.

"So which spots we gonna hit, Muds? I wanna get me hands dirty!" He grins, wiping his gloved hands together. It didn't seem to matter that there were several objects tucked under both his arms.

"Satan, it's like you're 23 all over again."

"I thought ye' said I was old."

"It was Noodle that called ye old. I was just rubbing it in, coz' it's true."

"Actually, Noods said _'old men'_ so doesn't that mean she was referring to both of us?"

"You were standing next to Russ, weren't ye?"

Finding a blank wall near a closed shop, Murdoc dumps his load on parked car on the side. Obviously, the alarm blares off. 2D is quick to cover up his ears, quickly growing frantic that they might get caught. Murdoc, however only craned his neck.

"Hand me one of yer spray cans." He says then.

"What?!" 2D screams, deaf from the car's noises.

"Spray cans! Gimme one." Murdoc repeats, back still facing the other man.

When he finally turns due to the absence of a can being handed to him, he sees that 2D has suddenly run off, leaving a few cans where he'd been standing.

It's at this time the car alarm finally quiets down. But 2D runs on. Alarm or not, Murdoc yells after him.

"Where the fuck are ye going?"

"Too much heat up here! Gonna find some cover!"

For someone who was panicking, the boy still seemed to have a good bearing on his surroundings. In the past he'd have tripped on his own feet already, or wouldn't have heard the bassist to give his response. Murdoc would be impressed if the entire act didn't have stupidity written all over it.

By time he picks up the cans the singer dropped, 2D had disappeared around the corner.

For a moment, Murdoc considers running after him. But the thought of having to chase a man in his late-30's-in an empty street, and showed no immediate danger-would only prove that 2D was still kid. And for some reason, Murdoc wasn't too keen on the idea. Plus, he'd look downright childish chasing after someone 20 years younger than him.

Deciding that his singer would be all right without supervision for a while (20 minutes, give or take), Murdoc returns his attention to the wall.

"Dammit." Murdoc grumbles in distaste, pulling off the cap from the can. "I'm getting way too old for this shit."

And for once, being alone and all, Murdoc let's the truth sink in as he begins to mark the wall.

 _ **MEANWHILE**_

Russel and Noodle had gone separately despite being paired up. The guitarist had mentioned something about coloring a woman's world-whatever the hell that meant-before leaving the drummer to his own devices.

He was busying himself with spraying the back wall of a building when something that sounded like a car alarn echoed somewhere not-too far.

"Idiots." He only whispers to himself, knowing it was surely caused by either Murdoc or 2D (or both).

A car goes by out in the street when he finishes, and he wonders if it was the same car that went off.

"Those two are gonna get us arrested before we finish this."

A step brushes behind him. "Murdoc and Toochie-kun are old, but it looks like you're beginning to show signs of senescense too, Russ-kun."

He faces her and flashes a full, white grin. "Careful with the insult there, baby girl."

"It wasn't an insult. Old people are wise and tell great stories." She states.

"But me, Dee and Muds have been doing that since you came to us."

Noodle laughs as they begin to find their next target. "Exactly."

They walk under a lampost, and the light casts a shadow over Noodle's hooded face. It wasn't so much as shadows reflecting on her face than they were evidence of a solemn veil already there.

Before begins to probe about it, Noodle speaks up again. "Guess you guys have always been that way."

Something was on her mind. He knows this for a fact because something has always been on her mind ever since they all got back together. Even though she decided for herself to return to them, adapting was still hard as hell.

He can't blame her. No matter how much she acts out or tries to bait any of them (except 2D of course. He was the one doing most of the cheering up after all) because she's angry under the skin. She had the right to be angry. She was gone for the lesser-bright days of their lives, being the exact source of most their grief, when she could've been the remedy. Had she been there.

"Always been what, baby girl?" Russel asks, trying to make her forget about it. He knows she won't, but it's always worth trying.

"My old men. My aged dads."

Her shadows lessens then. Not enough but, he was sure that she'll be able to ge throufh the next hours without crying or drinking. He hopes at least.

When they reach the next lampost, Russel spots a car wash with a vehicle about to go through.

"Ohoho. We got a live one right there. Come on, Noodle. Let's do some real coloring." And he runs off to their next victim.

Knowing exactly what he means, she follows right after him in mad laughter.

 _ **BACK WITH 2D**_

His running had brought him to the subway. It was quiet and serene which gave 2D absolute relief from the little car mishap Murdoc did.

Now that he was alone, he figured it was time to do what they came for. Lest he be yelled at Murdoc later for fooling around, and he doesn't want to go home to that.

Opening two spray cans, he begins to grafitti the walls in one messily, connected purple painting. He tries going for a squid, but only ends up with squiggles. He hums as he works, whistling tunes from tracks off their latest album.

He feels almost complete then, in the quiet and isolation. It wasn't like that bloody island he washed ashore on. This was peaceful. And that was a feeling he hadn't felt in years.

He works until he exhausts both of his cans, and he stands there proud of his work. Dropping the empty cans on the floor, he the runs back up to the nearest exit.

As he reaches the surface, he quickly catches a camera nailed up to the wall. It was pointed directly at him. Grinning madly under his mask, he skipped the last few steps and boostd himself up into the air. With his height, it was no sweat at all. Reaching up, he taps the camera and begins running down the sidewalk in complete merriment.

That is until... "Oi, faceache!"

As if it had been a reverie to be snapped out of, 2D halts in his tracks and finds Murdoc from across the steet, sauntering over to him.

"The hell do ye think yer doing? Running off like that and disappearing! And I find you here, knocking surveillance cameras?! Did you even paint on anything?"

"Of course, I did. It was pretty good too."

"I wasn't asking that! Now if yer done with the merry-making, I suggest ye get yer arse moving so we can be done with here."

Murdoc walks off then, protests loud and clear. 2D mumbles too, but decides not to press on the matter.

At least the bassist didn't hit him. He hasn't done _any_ hitting since their comeback. It was a change 2D could get used to.

* * *

About a dozen painted walls, a sabotaged carwash with now-magenta water, several bleached hair, and a hundred pizza boxes packed with purple vinyls later, the four bandmates met up in a security building that contained the surveillance cameras within their area.

Noodle was boasting what she and Russel did to the carwash as they go into the elevator.

"We did that guy a favor. I'm pretty sure he liked it." Laughed their guiatrist.

Murdoc scoffed. "What man would want a pink anything?"

The elevator dings as they go floor to floor, a sudden silence surrounding them.

Then 2D fills in, "Plastic Beach was pink."

He says it with a hardened ignorance that the trio waste a second staring at him. Whether he was ignoring the fact that he had been kept there against his will for the better part of the island's existence or just merely pointing something out, none of them can say.

But he seems all right. They can tell he's smiling by the way his ebony eyes curve. At least one of them enjoyed themselves. Well, two including Noodle.

The elevator finally stops at their chosen floor and they get off to see the results of their work.

Despite all the unsaid, stinging admissions that night, one thing's for sure. This app was going to drive all their fans insane.

* * *

 **Okay. This chapter was difficult to write. I had to rewatch the Gorillaz Lenz video to see what they were wearing and who did which.**

 **I wanted to do more in this, like with Murdoc and 2D talking about Noodle in turn while they packed those pizza boxes. But I saw the chapter length and decided to spare you all from reading that long. Hehehehe**

 **Soo much boiling drama, huh? I plan on making them resolve that in future chapters. Hopefully, one at a time to settle their personal beefs with one another.**

 **REALLY WISH GORILLAZ LENZ WAS AVAILABLE IN THE PHILIPPINES!**

 **Hope you all enjoyed.**


	4. Chapter 4 Swinging Tags

**I wasn't able to think of a good idea for a new chapter to be honest. I have a lot of stuff I want to do with this, but the problem with summer, is that you're always constantly being swallowed by the couch. Real talk there.**

 **Perhaps if any of you** **have requests on what you want the band to be doing, you may tell me and I'll write it for ya'll.**

 **SO, carrying on. And again, I do not own Gorillaz. They will always belong to Albarn and Hewlett.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Swinging Tags: It's time to get out of those little girl shoes.**

Murdoc said no the moment he saw her coming down the stairs wearing one of her grander outfits and those mismatched glasses of hers.

Of course, she'd been expecting it. She shrugged so naturally it was obvious her shoulders had been reared back the entire time, just waiting for the bassist's words.

He still persisted, following her around the house while she seemed to be looking for something. But she paid him no mind, continuing her search by throwing around all the litter they had lying around.

Murdoc couldn't decide what vexed him more. That she was deliberately acting _'the angsty teenager'_ role (and making him look older than he already was), or that she was exhibiting several traits so akin to his own.

"Where are the car keys?" Noodle asks without looking at him.

"And what the hell could you possibly need 'em for?"

"Do I have to tell you?"

"You do if you want them fom me." Remarked the bassist as he produced the keys from his pocket.

Noodle faces him, serious. "You do know that I can just kick your ass and take them from you once you're out cold?"

That was almost the last straw and he was just about ready to lose his shit, even if it was to her. Because Noodle had never been like _this._ There had been times when she was being difficult and intentionally irritable. Such as strumming the wrong note during one of their recordings, eating more than her own portion of take-outs most nights, or making too much goddamned noise early in the morning when she knew someone would be sleeping.

All of which, was primarily directed at Murdoc.

He'd chosen to let it go, arguing to himself that he'd done much more douche-worthy acts in the past that his bandmates had done more than just forget.

But this was Noodle. Anything she did had always been a matter to worry and question about. And even though he's done so in a more unorthodox and otherwise unhealthy way, a little attitude from the guitarist wasn't going to stop him now.

A heavy stomp then came from behind him and a large, black hand snatched the keys from him. "We're going out, Mudz."

Well, attitude from Noodle, sure. But Russel of course was a different story.

"What the hell for?" The Satanist grumbled, turning around to glare daggers at the larger man as he and Noodle walked to the outer hall.

"Clothes." Russel said once. A warning. "Noodle needs some new ones."

Before Murdoc could protest that the girl in fact _had_ clothes, Noodle piped in. "That snake thing keeps taking my clothes."

"I'm sorry, snake thing?" Murdoc repeated.

Oh, but of course. At the time of their assessment of the Spirit House, the bandmates all went in separate rooms. The bassist had made for the bathroom which was far from the basement where Noodle had gone. Though it doesn't come as much of a surprise that he was unable to witness it when a creature attacked her. Noodle could only roll her eyes behind her glasses.

"It's a long story." Russel says instead. "Now if you don't mind, we best be going if we plan on making it back by lunch. I want to buy some new frying pans, and come back without you or Dee' messing with the stove."

Murdoc rolls his eyes. "Please. It's not like we'd set the house on fire. I mean, 2D could for sure. Without a doubt. But not me."

"Wanna bet?" Noodle taunts as she walks through the door.

The bassist could only gawk at the empty doorway until Russel blocks it. "By the way, Dee's a little out of it right now. So if you could just not be a total ass today, that would be just-"

"Or what?" Murdoc cuts in. "You gonna beat the shit outta me?"

"No. Noodle is."

And having succeeded in shutting him up, Russel finally departs.

* * *

Once in the mall, Noodle took a complete mood change. She was so quick to regress to her near 10-year old cheeriness that Russel knew even 2D would be schocked.

She began pulling him into a variety of shops and pointing at this and that until eventually the drummer's hands were piled with bags. All filled with _'women stuff'._

Truth be told, it had always been Russel tasked with accompanying Noodle when buying her necessities. Right from her first pair of pajamas, to her first braissier-as much as that had been awkward.

Of course there were times when she insisted their other two bandmates come. She was always excited to buy them gifts even as she entered her early teens. Most of the time she would always try convincing Murdoc to go alone with her so as to have more one-on-one with him.

But today, she was nowhere short of practically rubbing in his face how she didn't even want to think of him coming with them.

Now Murdoc might be a total jackass (after everything they'd been through, Russel had more than enough proof), but it had been nearly a month. The 'unspoken argument' between the guitarist and bassist needed to be addressed before it gets the chance to boil over and make things worst.

"So Noodle..." Russel finally speaks after at least half an hour of silence.

They were currently in (another) botique, and Noodle was trying on the 9th outfit she'd found.

"Yeah.. What is it, Russ?" She called from behind the dressing room.

The drummer scratches his ear, unsure of how to start up a conversation regarding a topic that the girl specifically said never to mention. So he starts with a simple question just a tad bit regarding the Satanist.

"You think Muds will lay off 'Dee? He looked straight-up crap when we left him in his room."

Noodle finally comes out of the dressing room, sporting a skin-tight, jaguar print bodysuit, with a matching cat ears headband.

At first glance it was definitely something Russel would _never_ allow her to go out in. But if Russel had to admit, she looked as cute as she had been when she auditioned for the band. Just taller and more of a woman.

"He better not." She says, looks at herself in the stand mirror and adjusting her hair. "Otherwise I'm gonna have to really kick his ass." Turning to Russel then, she strikes a half-hearted model pose. It didn't go so well wtih the toothy grin her face made. "What do you think?"

"What do you mean by that?"

His question catches her off guard.

"By what?" Noodle repeats.

Russel shifts in his seat, adjusting the paperbags in his arms before facing his (not so) little girl. "You said you were gonna have to 'really' kick Murdoc's ass. So you weren't really planning on it?"

Noodle's brows furrow. "What do you mean by that?"

With a sigh the drummer gets on his feet. "Why don't we grab a smoothie and talk about it where there aren't clothes involved?"

Once Noodle makes her purchases, she and Russel immediately track down the first smoothie stall they saw. And when they both had a cup in hand, Russel wasted no time beating by the bush.

"Noodle, when are you gonna talk to Mudz about this... Thing between you two?"

The girl takes a little longer of a sip on her drink, which Russel expected. With a breath she tries to remain aloof. "What thing?"

"Noods, I know you're still mad at him. It's not that hard to guess. Hell, even I'm still mad at him. And I'm pretty sure Dee's at least got some form of anger in him too if he ever took the time to tap into it."

After another long sip, Noodle was finished with her drink. Obviously it was an attempt to walk away from the drummer, and therefore walk away from the conversation. But she immediately regretted this after developing a horrific brain-freeze.

She keeled over with a hand to her head, cursing in her native tongue. "We...don't need to talk about this."

"Yes we do, baby girl. And eventually, you're gonna have to talk with Mudz about it too."

"I don't want to."

Finishing his own drink, Russel leans back with a deep sigh. "You don't have to want to. You just have to."

Slightly recovering from the freeze, Noodle begins to straighten up. "I'm not ready to forgive him yet."

Russel's face grows serious. "You don't have to forgive him either. At least not now. But in the very least you should at least talk to him. Nothing long. Don't even need to hold a conversation. Just _acknowledge_ him."

Noodle stays quiet for a while.

"And I'm pretty sure if you and Mudz stopped acting passive-aggressive with each other around the house, 2D would be less upset. And have less migraines."

The guitarist chuckles darkly. "Using Toochie-kun is such a cheap trick, Russ-kun."

He grins too. "Can't help it if it's the truth."

Hanging her head because the drummer had successfully caught her, Noodle gives in with a grunt similar to Murdoc whenever he found something particulalrly distasteful. "Fine. I'll be nicer. But I'm still not going to talk to him about 'that' yet. I need a little more time."

Nodding, Russel backs off from the railing they'd been leaning on. "And now we got that out of the way, we should head on back. I still have to whip up some lunch."

As they begin the trek to exit the mall, an idea pops into the guitarist's mind.

* * *

When they got back home, Noodle was quick to ascend the stairs after finding the first floor empty. To her surprise, she found both Murdoc and 2D lounging in the bath.

They were huddled side-to-side in the tub with their legs hanging over the edge. 2D's could practically touch the floor since his was longer. The latter was fast asleep with his head leaning ob Murdoc's shoulder, who was quietlt strumming one note on one of their spare guitars.

He hadn't noticed Noodle until she was standing in the doorway.

"Are you two taking a BAFFFFF?" She mocks with a blank face.

Unamused at her attempt at mimicking him, he strums another note without looking at her. "Back so soon?"

"Russ figured you two might be hungry."

"Well, isn't that nice of him." The Satanist deadpans.

At that moment the singer stirs. He blinks and notices Noodle, a grin immediately coloring his features. His migraine seemed to be gone.

"Ello love. Back already?"

Noodle walks over to him and takes a closer look. "Yeah. She sits by the tub and combs the few strands of his hair sticking out. "You feeling better?"

2D nods. "Murdoc took good care of me. My head's in the clear now."

Both Murdoc and Noodle side-eye each other carefully but say nothing.

"That's good. Now we can eat lunch together. Hurry down, Russ-kun is almost finished cooking." Just before Noodle runs out the door, she turns back and throws something at 2D. "Almost forgot your gift."

As they hear her steps recede downstairs, 2D unfolds the 'gift' which is in fact a T-shirt.

"Oh look." He giggles, spreading the clothing on his front, finding it the right size. "It's got a word print on it."

Bored (and just a little bit ticked off that he hadn't received a gift like he used to), moves forward and glances at the singer's shirt.

The print read: **I'M WITH JACKASS** with an arrow pointed to 2D's right, where Murdoc sat.

* * *

 **It was hard formulating the plot of this chapter. I'm glad it turned out well even though their main topic circulated around the fiasco in Plastic Beach again.**

 **Isn't it amazing how our current generation has grown up with Gorillaz. It just brings tears to my eyes to see that both the characters and myself are changing physically. Especially you Noodle!**

 **Yes, the outfit Noodle was trying on was the one she wore in their song STROBELIGHT. Momentary pains after all, ahahahhaha.**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Chapter 5 Sleep Dancing

**Been waiting 4 chapters to write this one down. And nope it's not the reconciliation of Noods and Murdoc. But I'm sure you'll love it all the same hahaha.**

 **We've all seen how our precious blue-haired, black-eyed god is finally free from all those bad stuff happening to him. So a little chapter all for himself.**

 **And finally, Gorillaz forever belongs to Jamie and Damon.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Sleep Dancing: When in doubt, record a song on your own.**

"Why can't I come?" 2D whines for what Murdoc hopes was the last time.

He's been hoping for the past hour. The boy has NOT stopped and shows no sign of stoppimg any time soon.

Russel keeps sending signals for him to remain calm and not snap so early in the morning with all of them up and about. But it's not so easy to grin and bear it when their singer keeps yammering on like that.

Even Noodle seemed to be losing her patience every time she hears him asking the same question. And there's no blaming her. No blaming any of them, really.

"Toochie..." She starts, descending from the stairs while throwing a jacket on. "You know you can't go anywhere when you're head is acting up." She sounds reasonable. Russle and Murdoc hopes it works.

2D, inspite of the truth of his migraine, straightens up and even puffs out his chest to mask the pain. "I'm perfectly fine, luv. I even took my meds already. I feel better, see?"

The smile he makes is absolute crap. His left cheek locks against his twitching eye, and a restrained wheeze is easily heard through the empty space where his two missing upper, front teeth should have been.

Murdoc 'accidentally' knocks over a random vase displayed on one of their tables in the hall. As he expects, the sound makes the bluenette recoil and cover his ears.

"Murdoc!" He whines again.

"You ain't fine. And even if you did take your pills it's not like you're the best at keeping your shit together when you do."

Russel fake-laughs. Loud, but not enough to hurt the already-suffering singer's addled brains. "That's big words coming from you, Mudz."

In protest, Murdoc clacks his heels on the broken vase. To 2D, it sounded like a thousand nails grating against his skull.

"Murdoc!" It's Noodle now. She goes over to 2D and does her magic coaxing. "You're making it worst."

"You gotta stop coddling him, Noods. He's had this for years now. It's not news anymore. He should have some sort of immunity to some things and shit and by now." Obviously his argument has no bite with the way the girl glares at him. His eyes then catches her outfit. "And what the hell are you wearing?"

The outfit in question was one of Noodle's recent purchases. It was a simple pink three-fourths and black skin-tight shorts that ended mid-way her thighs. She partnered it up with a jacket (because the weather had been cold lately) black choker, gloves and one of her better-looking boots.

By her standards, she was appropriately dressed. And the Jaguar Racing Company hadn't exactly said there was a dress code to follow when they called to arrange their meeting. Russel, though concerned for her choice of clothing, trusted her enough to go out more than once in similar get-ups. Besides, he knows she packed a stronger punch than he did inspite of their size difference

She was basically an adult now after all. She wasn't a kid anymore.

Murdoc however, still couldn't see it that way.

"You are aware that there will be people there, with cameras? Do you intend to show off just where your arse ends with those rags you're wearing?"

Russel and Noodle, having heard the same thing coming from him since their comeback, choose to ignore him. As always, 2D speaks his mind.

"I fink you look cute, Noods!"

"Seriously dents?!"

2D winces again. "Too loud!"

"Just shut up, Murdoc. It's not helping."

The bassist's attempts at mocking her goes ignored as the guitarist leads the singer in their half-finished living room.

"You see now why you can't come with us, Chie?" Noodle croons.

He whimpers miserably, half from pain, and the other half still arguing his case. "But why does Murdoc get to go?"

To him, medicated and sleep-deprived, there was no undertone in the question. To Noodle however, it's a thinly-veiled probe regarding her problem (still unresolved) with the Satanist. She knows he doesn't mean to insinuate it. But as much as she loves the man, her patience was all but spent.

Still, she couldn't just lose it. Not today. And most especially not in front of her best friend.

"You know what? I know what you need."

She gets up and leaves the room momentarily. Murdoc hovers by the doorway, and even in his haze 2D could see that the other man was tempted to further aggravate his condition.

"So-" And Noodle cuts him off by shoulder-ramming him aside before he gets a word out.

"Here we go! Some peppermint tea for ya'." She says gently, kneeling in front of the bluenette and handing him a mug-the only clean thing she could find in the kitchen. "Drink up. It'll soothe you. And I'm really sorry, Chie, but we really have to leave you here to make sure you get better."

He whines even as he drinks the tea, but its a sound of defeat now. Noodle had gotten to him. "But what am I even gonna do on my own here?"

"Sleep. Rest. It's just until we get back. And I promise we won't take that long." Finished with the tea, Noodle sets the mug down on the floor. "Okay?"

With a sigh, 2D nods. "Okay."

Outside as Russel, Murdoc and Noodle get in the car, the drummer voices out his concern. "2D really got quiet there. What did you say to him, baby girl?"

"I didn't say anything." She said fastening her seatbelt. "I put some sleeping pills in the tea.

* * *

 _Huh. My head feels really weird. It's been weird before. It felt like that when I fell from the tree. When Murdoc busted up my eyes. Twice._

 _It feels weird now too. A different weird._

 _It's heavy and light? At the same time. Wow. I'm glad I was alone to say all this. Murdoc would be pissed if he heard me talking like this._

 _The couch felt really nice. Comfy and soft. It was perfect for a good nap. And I'm really sleep too. Maybe I should sleep? Like Noods said. It would be better than to do anything. Better than to cause trouble for them to come back home to._

 _Yeah. Let's just sleep. Sleep... Sleepppppp_

 _ **Drugs**._

 _What?_

 ** _Brain on drugs._**

 _What was that? Ello?_

 _ **Your brain on drugs**._

 _Is there someone there? Crikey, had someone gotten in the house? It's only been 5 minutes. Noods! Mudz! Russ! Why did you leave me alone?!_

 _No. No. It could be nothing. It's nothing. Murdoc had cleaned this place and made it ghost-free. Monster-free. Or whatever the hell there was before we moved in. And even if there was, I couldn't just sit around and be whimpering and shit._

 _No. I've done that for too long now. Too long. It was time I manned up._

 _Surprisingly, when I stand, my knees don't knock against each other. My legs don't shake. I don't feel panic. I don't feel... Afraid._

 _I go out into the hall and I find, one of my keyboards?_

 _Plopping onto the floor, I pressed on a few keys wondering why it was down here. It was on too. The hell? I tried to locate the off button. It was hard when my eyes started to blur. I felt for a button and pressed it and a crackling sound erupted from instrument. Was that... An egg on a frying pan?_

 ** _Okay last time._**

 _Fuck! What the- who the hell are you?! There was a man-was he a man? He had a chicken-no rooster, for a head. A chicken man was standing in front of me. And for some reason, light of different colors were filling the room._

 _What in the actual fuck was happening?_

 ** _This is drugs._**

 _Was the chicken man talking to me? It looked like he was. His eyes were darting from me and to the keyboard. It didn't feel like he was there to hurt me or something. Did he wanted me to play? For him?_

 ** _This is your brain on drugs. Questions?_**

 _Seeing no harm in it, I began to play a random tune. He seemed to like it too. His head began to bob around and I liked the way that red, deflated ballon thing on his head kept flapping around like... Well._

 _And then, because I was literally enjoying myself at the moment, I decided to tell the chicken man about my day._

I was gone in the self of the day. Gone. Self of the day. Gone.

 _Chicken man liked it so much, he echoed what I said. I couldn't stop smiling. This was fun._

 _I clicked the record button for the tune I was playing and set it off to replay indefinitely. When I stood up, my knees gave way and I fell backwards. God. This migraine was not helping at all. As I scrambled to my feet the chicken man had gone upstairs. He stopped midway to look back down at me. He wanted me to follow._

I'm back! Where are we goin? I seem to get tired from the morning dawn. With a basin on my head. I'm missin' all that I used to know, then I get the kids to go, and I get up on with certain dread. And when I see the kissing down below. Easy life, I get right.

 _We reach the second floor and by then I was just suddenly, dancing. I raised my arms up and chicken man and I began to dance like a bunch of monkeys with our arses on fire._

 _I don't know how it happened, but the house had suddenly gone technicolor. The floors and walls took on blue, yelloe, pink, purple and all that psychedelic crap. If I was inside one of those rainboe telescopes right now, I didn't want to get out._

I was gone with the self of the day, gone. Self of the day, gone. Self of the day, gone. Gone gone gone...

 _In the middle our dancing, chicken man had suddenly taken out something from behind his back. It looked like a mug. Not stopping from my dance, I asked what he had a mug for. Instead of answering, he threw the mug to me. With slippery hands I managed to catch it and realized it was the mug that Noods had used for my peppermint tea earlier._

 _I looked inside. There were still a few drops of tea and remnants of what looked like powder. Was it from the teabag? Curious, I swiped a finger in and tasted the unknown black substance. The bitter taste had me making sour faces. That was definitely not tea. It tasted like... Like my pills. But just in powder... Powder._

 _Noods. She... She put._

 _Chicken man was standing in front of me, his dancing stopped. He had been watching me in silence. It looked like he knew what I was thinking._

She gave me sleeping powder.

 _And then oddly, I began to laugh. Then chicken man laughed, too. We were both laughing and I didn't care. I threw the mug over my shoulder and resumed dancing._

 _It wasn't such a bad thing to stay home after all._

* * *

Russel and the others returned some time after 3 pm. They had intended to come home earlier but got into a little trouble, courtesy of Murdoc. Good thing was, he managed to hold it off until after Noodle's meeting.

"You didn't have to beat up a cameraman." The drummer said, closing the door behind him.

"I'm telling you it was paparazzi. You know I can't stand those wankers. I bet you they were trying to take pictures of Noodle in that skimpy little outfit of hers. I told you."

"It is not skimpy!" Defended the guitarist, quickly going for the living room to check in on their singer. But immediately comes out. "He's not here."

Seeing panic quickly rise in her eyes, Russel waved a hand to calm her down. "Relax. He probably went to his room."

"Found him." Murdoc then called from upstairs.

The two join him, and finds their singer. He was safe and sound, much to Noodle's relief. But seeing him passed out on the floor, clutching a chicken squeaky toy in one hand, and his keyboard in the other, still made a cause for worry.

"What the hell had he been doing?" Russel voices out.

"Like that's important." Murdoc snorted, kicking at the bluenette's legs to which Noodle swatted his foot away. "He probably just passed out from the pills Noodle gave him while he climbed up the stairs. Hehehe. I bet that would've looked fucking hilarious with him medicated and all. I wish I could have seen that."

While the bassist rambles on, Russel turns 2D over to his side to help Noodle carry him to his room. In the space his body covered, the drummer finds a laptop. Noodle's laptop to be precise.

"Looks like he got this baby girl." He said, handing the device back to her. "Hope he didn't break it."

"If he did we can just buy her a new one." Murdoc says quickly.

Noodle flips the laptop open and the screen quickly loads back up, indicating that it had been open before they came home and that it was highly likely that 2D had been using it. As she hoped it didn't involve anything that was potentially dangerous for ay of them, she noticed a new file present on her home page.

It read _Sleeping Powder._

Clicking on it, the file opened and Noodle couldn't help the grin that spread on her face. "You guys have to see this.

* * *

 **We all wanna know 2D did that Sleeping Powder vid and song. This here is how I imagined it hahahaha. And it was hella fun to write.**

 **It was pretty difficult writing the sequence where he was high from all the drugs he'd consumed. Especially in the third person, so I just opted to first-person it. I hope none of you got confused there.**

 **Jaguar Racing Co. hinted on there hehehehe. Perhaps I'll do that in the next one to see what happened with the trio when they left 2D. And what Murdoc did to that cameraman.**

 **Hahahah see you all next chapter.**


	6. Chapter 6 Drink With the Devil

**Balallalaala. 2D dearest's birthday today. No matter how tired I am, I will finish this special chapter for our precious boiii.**

 **And my gift for him, is the reconciliation chapter of Noodle and Murdoc!**

 **Itching for that TV show still pending... When will it be released? Huuuh waiting is agonyyyyy!**

 **Gorillaz does not belong to me. It belongs to their creators Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn. I do have a Gorillaz CD hehehhehe.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Drink With the Devil: it's time to let bygone be bygones.**

Murdoc had gotten the boy drunk as fast as he could. Birthdays were never his thing. Didn't give a crap about them enough to celebrate with others or even to do something for them. Hell, he didn't even give a damn about his own.

Save for Noodle of course. Ever since she arrived it was always a birthday bonanza for her. Forget about the money he let slip by so easily. If it meant her happiness then being broke wasn't so bad. (Besides, being in an internationally successful band put them in a place where money wasn't a problem.)

And then of course, Noodle grew up to an age where like him and the other two guys, birthdays stop mattering. She was probably the only person in the world whose date of birth he gave a rat's ass for. Losing that made him lose the cheery spirit (for her birthday alone) altogether.

So he plans nothing for 2D when May 23 comes around. Just the same old rows of good beer and a packet of fresh cigarettes ready to smoke. It's just about the only form of genuine affection 2D will receive from the bassist. And he's more than grateful for it. Murdoc was sure. He's sure.

Russel's passed out in the living room. Though he was more festive about these occasions compared to Murdoc, the latter's unwillingness to do anything beyond his usual routine was infectious. That and several bottles emptied by the floor were a good sleeping drought.

Murdoc and the birthday boy were holed up once again in the bath. It's more comfortable than any other part of the house if anyone were to ask Murdoc. It's why he dove for it head-first when they came.

Also because the toilet was ready if either him or 2D were about to hurl. A good spot indeed.

2D was near finishing his fifth bottle and Murdoc was on his eighth. His liquor was still pretty much intact by his standards-he'll only know when he's with someone else other than his bandmates. Unless it's a bird he finds on his outings, then it will probably be never.

"You know..."

He slides his eyes to the side where 2D had all but sunk to the bottom of the tub. His face showed nothing but a lazy grin caused by intoxication. "Noods really hates this shit." He says, raising the Corona in his hands and staring it over. He takes one swig and makes a sour face. "I can see why."

"What the hell do you know about the drinks Noodle likes?"

2D looks at him like he'd said something stupid. "We drinks every night. I thought you knew that."

The bassist mulls over whether someone had told him that before. He's sure someone has. Had they? Fuck, he can't remember anymore. He asks 2D what the girl's favorite drink is in hopes of remembering.

"She likes scotch mostly. Sometimes she goes for whiskey too. And she tells me all these other alcohol mixes she gets when she goes out clubbing." Murdoc repeating the last bit goes ignored by the singer. "Oh but her favorite is that traditional drink they got in Japan..." The bassist is asking where Noodle was now. Not receiving a reply has him figuring out as much that the girl was NOT in the house. "Suka? S-s... Sake! That's it sake! It's a great drink, Mudz. Hits hard and good-"

The rest of his words goes unheard as Murdoc stomps off from the bathroom and disappears downstairs. And eventually from the house.

* * *

24 hour delis were a gift in heaven whenever Noodle needed to do some late night shopping that didn't require going to the mall. You could only shop till you drop for so long til you get sick of it.

Besides, she'd spent a whole lot these past few weeks and decided it was time to zip up the wallet.

She's picked up several labels of desserts she knows 2D will like, tortilla and nacho chips to go with a jar of salsa to go, and cake mix to bake enough for all four of them. Four. Four?

Would Murdoc even eat cake? She highly doubts it and decides she'll give the rest to 2D. Unless he refuses to and she's reduced to giving it to Russel instead. She's ready to go to the cashier and pay for her chosen products. Then she notices a certain green-skinned goblin-looking 50-year old.

"Well you may not be clubbing, but this ain't exactly a place you should be when it's Dents birthday." Murdoc all but reprimands, ignoring the cashier shaking at the sight of two Gorillaz members

Noodle completely ignores him and heads stright for the counter. She takes out cash without estimating the full amount. She'll use all the money she has in her pocket today if it meant escaping the fuming, and obviously drunk Murdoc.

"60 pounds, miss." Once the purchase is scanned and bagged.

She subtracts the excess cash back into her pocket. Before the cashier can take her money however, Murdoc covers the money with a heavy hand.

"You're gonna pay when you can get this bloke to let you off free of charge?" He asks, as if profoundly offended by the fact of paying for something. Even if it was Noodle's money.

"I guess that's another thing we do have differently, Mudz. I don't resort to begging people not to take my money." Her tone is piercing and cold as she hugs the bags against her. "Take the money, sir."

"And now you're calling youngsters 'sir'? That's not how I raised you, kid."

"For your information, it was mostly Russel and Toochie who raised me. You were too busy teaching me sex ed and Drunk 101."

"Why you little-"

The tail of his protest is cut off with a knee to the groin. The yowl Murdoc does is probably the loudest the young store owner will probably ever hear. Good thing he had a camera set up atTthe upper corner of the ceiling that loomed over the unfolding scene perfectly.

With the man incapacitated for the moment, Noodle turns and exits the store.

Grumbling the pain away through crushed teeth, Murdoc forces the blood down there to even out as he follows his guitarist. But not before swiping the 60 pounds from the counter, far from the boy's hands.

"I'm not done with you yet!" The bassist howls into the night when he gets into the girl's hearing range.

"Well, I'm done! Okay. I'm done with you! I don't need this shit right now!"

The fact that she doesn't even turn to spit it out to his face angers him even more. This was as far across the line he'd let her go. This may be the worst time to do it, but it was now or never. If he succeeded with this, then consider it a birthday present for the blue-haired bastard snoring away in the bathtub back home.

Murdoc manages to reach Noodle close enough to grab her shoulder. He means to stop her from walking off and turn her around so they could talk face to face. But instead of her aggrressive eyes, it's a hard, crackling right cross that meets his face.

He's off to the ground, blood exploding in his mouth and the wind knocked out of him. He always forgets just how hard a punch the girl packs until he's received a new one for himself.

When he looks up Noodle's facing him now. One arm was slack at her side, knuckles bright red, while the other still cradled her groceries.

"Would it be immature of me to ask what that was for?" He inquires, gently now that he's nursing his throbbing cheek.

The incredulity on her face is so strong it practically lights up the dark street they were in. It's both terrifying and magnificent.

"That was for being drunk and going after me while I was just buying some things. That was for deciding things for me when I clearly didn't want it and using-God, Murdoc, the father and raising card on me. You don't get to say that! You're not my dad! You're just the person the box was addressed to. And if I'd known we'd end up here through secrets and deals and paying off debts with goddamned pirates, then I may as well have never come out of that fucking FedEx crate!"

He breathes along when she exhales. That was a display that just about topped every other one she's done right up to his reunion with her in Plastic Beach. It's one that prompts him not to speak, so he doesn't. If he can take a punch from her then he'll take that too

So for the longest minute he just watches she carries herself to a nearby bench and plopping herself there. She looks tired. Murdoc _feels_ tired. Obviously everyone is with this unspoken thing they've let boil down.

Picking himself up-albeit groggily, Murdoc goes over to join the girl ny her seat. He makes sure to sit as far away from her as possible to avoid future injuries. She doesn't protest to his presence so he takes it as a good sign to press on.

"Was all that just screaming or did you really mean it?"

"Urusai konoyaro." Whispers the guitarist.

Okay. He's not sure what it entirely means, but his language senses tell him he'd just been cussed at. "Don't go Japanese on me now, luv-"

"Oh, it's 'luv' now? Not 'kid'?" She asks humorlessly.

"I'm the drunk one here. Not you Noods."

She dares to glance at him. Murdoc swears she could kill him right now with the fire in her eyes. "So what? You're just gonna suddenly apologize after all that and think it'll make everything okay?"

The man scoffs. "Fuck no. I'm not a miracle-worker. I may look like I can do it, and believe me I can, but there's only so many things I can be allowed to do. There should be limitations."

"Says the guy who drinks every other hour."

Point taken. Well, if she was gonna go there, then he may as well use his last resort. Reaching into his jacket, he produces a dark brown bottle the size of his hand. He unscrews the cap and hands it over to Noodle.

"I don't want your pissy beer." She barks.

"It ain't beer." The Satanist insists, placing it on the space between the two of them. "It's sake."

Immediately her eyes soften and she swipes the bottle faster than Murdoc could've ever done. He contemplates her taking long gulps, somehow seeing images of himself in her place. An odd thought that has him grimacing. She releases the bottle with a sigh.

"Stupid geezer. Using cheep sake to bribe me."

"It was 2D who said you liked it. I just bought the damn thing down at that sushi diner you always go to every Thursday night."

Noodle sets the bottle down. "How do you even know that? Did Toochie tell you that too?"

Murdoc laughs to calm her. "I don't need Faceache or Lards to keep me well-informed, luv. It's not that hard to keep track of a girl I've known for over 20 years."

She shiver with disgust at the idea, but Murdoc shakes it off. He focuses on the bottle in her hand instead. "Can I try some?"

They stare and glare and breathe in a show of stupid wills. Eventuslly Noodle's breaks and she hands the bottle to him. She even wait for him to swallow the foreign fluid just to laugh at his reaction.

"What a man. Choking on sake. Toochie did better than you." But Murdoc just grumbles to ignore her.

They go on like that for a while. Exchanging the bottle to savor the imported alcohol and seeing who could hold their liquor longer. Easily, it was Noodle. Murdoc had come intoxicated on after all. But he holds admireably that it has her remembering just how much she idolized seeing him go on for hours during recording even when he was bat-shit drunk.

The bassist seems aware of what she thinks. Now that the plan worked and her mood had mellowed down, it was time to release the bomb that he will only allow tonight because he'll be too hangover to remember it tomorrow.

"I'm sorry for everything, luv."

When their eyes meet this time, it's gentle and cautious. Afraid to ingite something else unpleasant that would lead to unnecessary violence. Noodle smiles sadly.

"A bit late to be apoligzing, aren't we?"

Murdoc sighs, internally pained at the sadness in her voice. "You know me, luv. I'm always late for everything."

Leaning over her knees, Noodle groans in exasperation. "You make it so hard to hate you, you bastard!"

Laughter from him. "Well, I'm not sure that's exactly valid. But thanks."

"Bastard." Noodle repeats. "You're a bastard. And you'll always be a bastard."

Hesitantly, Murdoc places a hand on her head. He pets her hair in the same manner he hopes 2D would. Perhaps she would be able to feel how sorry he was for screwing things up to the highest degree, and maybe begin to think of forgiving him.

"As long as it's you saying it, that's fine by me."

After the sake is finished and they wobble back home (mostly because of Murdoc), the bassist inquires the girl about her purchases.

"Why would you plan on making a cake? It's past 11, and Dents and Lards are already passed out their arses. You'd be wasting your time."

Noodle scoffs right into his face. She stops momentarily to adjust his weight on her side. "How much did you drink? It's 22 today. Toochie's birthday is still 20 monutes from now."

"What? You meaning to tell me that I've been giving away apologies to everyone while it wasn't even the dullard's birthday?!"

And the following day, 2D's birthday, everyone remembers every word he said. All except Murdoc himself.

It really was the best birthday gift 2D had ever gotten.

* * *

 **Yeaaaaaaah. Birthday bash! But I guess it was more Noodle and Murdoc-centric.**

 **Still, everyone working out just in time for the precious boy's special day is as good a surprise as any. I'm glad of this turnout. I hope you all are too.**

 **Maybe the Jaguar thing will be in a further chapter. Hehehe.**

 **Hope ya'll enjoyed.**


	7. Chapter 7 Jaguar Girl in Jaguar Suit

**OMAYGEEEEEEEEE! EVERYONE ELSE IN THE NOW NOW HYPE?! COZ I KNOW I AM!**

 **Friday morning and that's the first thing I see, just pure bliss. Never clicked on a video so fast. And I kept grinning like a doofus hahahahah.**

 **Month of June, two of our baby boys have their birthdayssss! Ain't gonna miss on that too.**

 **Gorillaz belongs to Albarn and Hewlett.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Jaguar Girl In a Jaguar Suit: Dads will always be dads**

Russel would've never agreed to go if Murdoc and 2D had decided to tag along in the last minute. Getting in her twenties, Noodle has proven more than once that she was perfectly capable of going out for night time drinks and dancing and still come home without burying her head halfway down the toilet.

It's a Noodle thing, another trait which he envies for Murdoc because no matter how much the man can drink, there's no helping how the body physically denies the toxic liquid. Russel doesn't give a damn how long Murdoc's been doing it. Drunk is drunk, and Noodle has (thankfully) not stooped to that level

 _Yet._

So he trusts her on her occasional, days and nights out the house. Tonight shouldn't have been any different. Especially if the other two guys decided to go with her too. With them present then the girl would be safer than dust in a locked vault.

Of course she"d be safe, but what would Murdoc and 2D do? God knows the kind of shit they get themselves into when they get wasted. And then Noodle would have to fix it for them, and in the end Russel will have to step in regardless of whether or not the girl even manages to resolve the situation.

So instead of just laying around in the house, cleaning things that needed to be cleaned, and practicing unfinished records that NEEDED to be finished, Russel agrees to go with the trio. More as a chaperone than a drink buddy.

The minute they get there, he regrets it full-time.

Neon lights flashing in random arrangements and color, booming sound system with a hip DJ reminding him too much of a certain someone, dancing bodies practically ramming against each other in the crowded establishment.

It makes Russel uneasy. Reminds him far too much of Brooklyn and all the souls he worked with there. Including Del. The overly bright club becomes increasingly dull upon the thought of the rapper ghost that once resided in him.

Although it's a personal matter, the drummer can't help but feel guilty. Driving down the lesser pleasant road of memory lane while Noodle, 2D and Murdoc were obviously having a good time. And as always, it's always Noodle who notices it first.

He does his best to hide it. Grin his big grin and laugh when he can. But there's no helping the incessant nag behind the ache on his neck. And he can't shake it off which is a bad thing and he feels bad for it.

Shouldn't he be happy right now? Fact, they even had a perfectly good reason to celebrate right now. Murdoc and Noodle had finally come to terms with everything. Of course, neither of them bothered to tell anyone so it was left to guessing. Not that Russel had any problem with guessing, especially if it comes to his bandmates.

But his smile is as hollow as the dance floor now unoccupied, lights blinking in rainbow squares. Maybe it was because it's June now. And that the 3rd was just another day away. A day where he finally gets to celebrate with his long-lost family. But still, no Del.

Mourning never stops he supposes. He's sure it's something Del would say.

A drink is slid across the table for him. It came from Murdoc.

"Why so down, lards? Ya' thinking how old you're about to get?"

"Just a year, Mudz. In a couple more days you're no different."

The bassist scoffs. "But you don't see me getting fatter now, do you?"

"Nah." The drummer's grin widens with the hint of mockery. "Just uglier and uglier like a horse's ass."

2D, completely hypnotized by the crazy lights and defeaning music all this time, is suddenly knocked into a fit of laughter that overpowers the music's volume. Murdoc looks ready to give him a good hit, but with Noodle wedged between the two of them, an vulgar flick of his tongue is all he can do.

The music begins to fade into an upbeat tone and Noodle's eyes glint excitedly at the empty dance floor. Russel reads her mind and gulps his drink in sync with her. When her alcohol is downed, she moves away from their table and sashays right across the heavily blinking club.

"What the hell is this little nip doing now?" Murdoc grumbles, twisting in his seat this way and that to get a better look at what the guitarist is doing. "She's not seriously going to dance in the middle of this club wearing _that_ is she?!"

The twitching finger he points to the girl is one that Russel forgives. Sure, if you want to go partying you wear your best outfit. The jaguar outfit she'd recently bought wasn't exactly the one they'd expected her to flaunt and dance in just as she's doing right now.

Out of the three men, 2D seemed to be the only one that didn't sense the dangers of wearing such clothing for a girl her age, and just claps at her in encouragement

Seeing him happy with her performance, Noodle invites the bluenette to join her in the dance floor via the classic rope-wrangling move. The singer was only too happy at the invitation.

Russel and Murdoc gawk in awe and disbelief as their two younger members belt it out in physical movement and random selection of dance moves that don't go so well together. Still they manage to work it out and the other clubbers shout out in jeers.

"That's quite a sight." The drummer grins, genuinely happy for the first time that night.

He sees Murdoc smirking uncomfortably at the side. "Look at you, grinning like a fucking idiot."

"Screw you man." Russel defends and he means it. "We barely have any time to relax like this. Let them have their fun, and let me do what I want when they do."

"And by what you want you mean looking at them in the exact same way you'd punch the teeth out of if anyone else other than us did it?"

Russel flips him off then and the bassist barks a fake laugh.

"Age is making you too fucking sentimental, Lards. I think it could be worse than obesity."

"I'll take anything if it means I won't look like you, pickle prick."

It's Murdoc who does the flipping off this time, and yet they both laugh. Dog-like laughter that has a couple strangers staring at them funny. But Russel hardly gives a damn. Murdoc may have just given him an early birthday present. And he'll take it willingly.

The bassist then leaves the table as well, relocating himself to the bar.

Alone at the table, Russel automatically decides to remain in his place, drinking his liquour for the night with perfectly good view of his bandmates. Perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea to come here after all.

That is until he spots Noodle signalling him now. It's an easy thing to understand. She wants him to join them.

He quickly tries to dismiss it, hoping to make her forget the idea and just dance on with 2D. But she insists, and even makes her way back to him to pull on his arm just like she used to.

And just when he thought he's been put into an inescapable situation, the club is suddenly filled with one of their older songs. One of the side tracks that was more of a mix tape rather than an official song. One song that was all Del.

Russel quickly scans the club and finds Murdoc by the DJ. Caught by the drummer, Murdoc simply bows his head, COMPLETELY unapologetic.

The green bastard.

And yet Russel gets up from his seat and lets Noodle pull him into the floor where 2D waits. As soon as the bass drops, he's dancing with them and he's so embarrassed, and shy, and happy, and sad, and mad and everything else that he could possibly feel.

It wasn't long "till Murdoc began to make his way toward them. No one even began to question it when the Satanist began dancing himself. He practically stole the entire floor with his overly sexual thrusts and unnecessary grunting that leaves no room to kick him out.

The 4 are then synced in their own little dance circle, and Noodle is right in the middle of them all. Her profound pearly whites were brighter than the club itself, and finally after so so much waiting, it was for all of them now.

For 2D, for Murdoc and for him.

For them. For Gorillaz.

Its becoming more and more evident that no matter how many times shit hits their fan, Noodle is always on the receiving line, carrying the courage to pick up her boys and keep them going. It's always through her that everything can always be okay. He'll be damned if they ever lose her again. If it meant letting their bassist knock the teeth out of any suspicious onlooker batting their eyes at at their baby girl, he'll gladly give the older man his consent.

Murdoc was right. Russel was getting way too sentimental. But if it meant valuing and understanding things like this better than when he had two souls inside him, then it wasn't such a bad thing.

* * *

 **A little early but Happy Birthday Russel! Coz I don't want to be late for the most basic of reasons whooo.**

 **I am on the Now Now. Who wants the album right Now Now?! Too many puns hehehe. I know I'm annoying. :p**

 **Thanks for reading.**


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